Concurrent with President Ford's pardon of Gen. Lee, the U.S. House voted to restore the rebel general's U.S. citizenship by a vote of 407-10. According to The New York Times, Lee had applied for restoration of citizenship to President Andrew Johnson with the support of Gen. Grant in 1865, but was told he had to sign a loyalty/amnesty oath. He later did, but it was never acted upon and he died a man without a country in 1870. Lee's signed loyalty/amnesty oath was discovered among State Department papers 100 years later. William Seward, having survived an assassination attempt along with his son the same day President Lincoln was shot, was Secretary of State at the time Lee signed and submitted his oath. It was never sent to President Johnson. While a blanket amnesty and pardon had been granted to nearly all Confederate soldiers, Lee was excepted and had to apply separately.
Concurrent with President Ford's pardon of Gen. Lee, the U.S. House voted to restore the rebel general's U.S. citizenship by a vote of 407-10. According to The New York Times, Lee had applied for restoration of citizenship to President Andrew Johnson with the support of Gen. Grant in 1865, but was told he had to sign a loyalty/amnesty oath. He later did, but it was never acted upon and he died a man without a country in 1870. Lee's signed loyalty/amnesty oath was discovered among State Department papers 100 years later. William Seward, having survived an assassination attempt along with his son the same day President Lincoln was shot, was Secretary of State at the time Lee signed and submitted his oath. It was never sent to President Johnson. While a blanket amnesty and pardon had been granted to nearly all Confederate soldiers, Lee was excepted and had to apply separately.
Thank you, Julie. I appreciate the kind words.
Fascinating history. Thanks for adding perspective to the recent news.
You never cease to surprise me with little-known facts from the past that you manage to put forth in the present-day context. Fascinating!